Best states for a high school principal

Q: What is the best state for high school principals?

The best state to be a high school principal is Washington based on high school principal salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for high school principals?

The highest paying state for high school principals is Florida based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for high school principals?

The worst state for high school principals is Hawaii, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming a high school principal and really want to work at TROC? Turns out, your chances to become a high school principal are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant high school principal jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Washington is the best state in the country for high school principal jobs.

We figured that the best places for high school principal jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for high school principals, and the Northeast is the worst. East Palo Alto, CA is the best city in the country for high school principal jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.

10 best states for high school principals in 2026

1. Washington
Total high school principal jobs: 1,046
Average annual salary: $107,288
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
1.73
High school principal jobs in Washington
2. Vermont
Total high school principal jobs: 125
Average annual salary: $99,928
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000
Location Quotient:
1.97
High school principal jobs in Vermont
3. Oregon
Total high school principal jobs: 574
Average annual salary: $103,451
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
1.67
High school principal jobs in Oregon
4. New Jersey
Total high school principal jobs: 1,024
Average annual salary: $106,482
Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000
Location Quotient:
1.56
High school principal jobs in New Jersey
5. Delaware
Total high school principal jobs: 101
Average annual salary: $105,720
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
High school principal jobs in Delaware
6. New Hampshire
Total high school principal jobs: 246
Average annual salary: $93,281
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000
Location Quotient:
1.7
High school principal jobs in New Hampshire
7. Illinois
Total high school principal jobs: 1,568
Average annual salary: $94,953
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
1.59
High school principal jobs in Illinois
8. Maryland
Total high school principal jobs: 695
Average annual salary: $95,563
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
High school principal jobs in Maryland
9. Rhode Island
Total high school principal jobs: 227
Average annual salary: $84,342
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
2.25
High school principal jobs in Rhode Island
10. West Virginia
Total high school principal jobs: 73
Average annual salary: $98,304
Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000
Location Quotient:
0.58
High school principal jobs in West Virginia

High school principal jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a high school principal

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a high school principal

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$107,288	$75,000	7,405,743	1,046
2	Vermont	$99,928	$72,000	623,657	125
3	Oregon	$103,451	$72,000	4,142,776	574
4	New Jersey	$106,482	$76,000	9,005,644	1,024
5	Delaware	$105,720	$75,000	961,939	101
6	New Hampshire	$93,281	$67,000	1,342,795	246
7	Illinois	$94,953	$68,000	12,802,023	1,568
8	Maryland	$95,563	$68,000	6,052,177	695
9	Rhode Island	$84,342	$60,000	1,059,639	227
10	West Virginia	$98,304	$70,000	1,815,857	73
11	Pennsylvania	$85,718	$61,000	12,805,537	1,137
12	Connecticut	$85,210	$61,000	3,588,184	478
13	New York	$92,145	$66,000	19,849,399	1,247
14	South Dakota	$94,944	$68,000	869,666	39
15	Indiana	$90,958	$65,000	6,666,818	320
16	Alaska	$88,421	$69,000	739,795	70
17	Massachusetts	$85,022	$61,000	6,859,819	1,142
18	California	$100,201	$69,000	39,536,653	1,075
19	Ohio	$84,112	$60,000	11,658,609	625
20	Georgia	$85,683	$60,000	10,429,379	532
21	Arizona	$78,902	$55,000	7,016,270	837
22	Montana	$79,635	$57,000	1,050,493	151
23	North Dakota	$86,434	$63,000	755,393	39
24	Wisconsin	$82,304	$59,000	5,795,483	412
25	Virginia	$83,396	$59,000	8,470,020	1,044
26	New Mexico	$77,209	$54,000	2,088,070	176
27	Arkansas	$76,231	$54,000	3,004,279	209
28	Michigan	$77,849	$56,000	9,962,311	532
29	Idaho	$75,211	$52,000	1,716,943	178
30	Texas	$76,968	$53,000	28,304,596	1,543
31	Colorado	$75,229	$53,000	5,607,154	717
32	Minnesota	$74,206	$54,000	5,576,606	657
33	Maine	$76,474	$55,000	1,335,907	69
34	Nevada	$73,493	$50,000	2,998,039	196
35	North Carolina	$73,849	$52,000	10,273,419	742
36	Mississippi	$75,455	$53,000	2,984,100	77
37	District of Columbia	$82,774	$59,000	693,972	77
38	Kansas	$72,091	$51,000	2,913,123	232
39	Tennessee	$71,750	$51,000	6,715,984	231
40	Wyoming	$68,259	$48,000	579,315	63
41	Kentucky	$71,876	$51,000	4,454,189	172
42	South Carolina	$71,315	$50,000	5,024,369	228
43	Iowa	$71,403	$51,000	3,145,711	166
44	Utah	$73,096	$50,000	3,101,833	65
45	Nebraska	$68,621	$49,000	1,920,076	159
46	Missouri	$68,598	$49,000	6,113,532	445
47	Florida	$65,303	$44,000	20,984,400	1,365
48	Louisiana	$70,467	$48,000	4,684,333	148
49	Alabama	$68,314	$48,000	4,874,747	190
50	Oklahoma	$66,187	$47,000	3,930,864	168
51	Hawaii	$66,918	$54,000	1,427,538	28

Highest paying states for high school principals

Rank	State	Avg. High School Principal Salary
1	Washington	$107,288
2	Vermont	$99,928
3	Oregon	$103,451
4	New Jersey	$106,482
5	Delaware	$105,720
6	New Hampshire	$93,281
7	Illinois	$94,953
8	Maryland	$95,563
9	Rhode Island	$84,342
10	West Virginia	$98,304
11	Pennsylvania	$85,718
12	Connecticut	$85,210
13	New York	$92,145
14	South Dakota	$94,944
15	Indiana	$90,958
16	Alaska	$88,421
17	Massachusetts	$85,022
18	California	$100,201
19	Ohio	$84,112
20	Georgia	$85,683
21	Arizona	$78,902
22	Montana	$79,635
23	North Dakota	$86,434
24	Wisconsin	$82,304
25	Virginia	$83,396
26	New Mexico	$77,209
27	Arkansas	$76,231
28	Michigan	$77,849
29	Idaho	$75,211
30	Texas	$76,968
31	Colorado	$75,229
32	Minnesota	$74,206
33	Maine	$76,474
34	Nevada	$73,493
35	North Carolina	$73,849
36	Mississippi	$75,455
37	District of Columbia	$82,774
38	Kansas	$72,091
39	Tennessee	$71,750
40	Wyoming	$68,259
41	Kentucky	$71,876
42	South Carolina	$71,315
43	Iowa	$71,403
44	Utah	$73,096
45	Nebraska	$68,621
46	Missouri	$68,598
47	Florida	$65,303
48	Louisiana	$70,467
49	Alabama	$68,314
50	Oklahoma	$66,187
51	Hawaii	$66,918

Best states for a high school principal

10 best states for high school principals in 2026

1. Washington

2. Vermont

3. Oregon

4. New Jersey

5. Delaware

6. New Hampshire

7. Illinois

8. Maryland

9. Rhode Island

10. West Virginia

High school principal jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a high school principal

Detailed list of the best states for a high school principal

Highest paying states for high school principals

High school principal best states FAQs

What is the best state for high school principals?

What is the highest paying state for high school principals?

What is the worst state for high school principals?

Search for high school principal jobs

Total high school principal jobs:	1,046
Average annual salary:	$107,288
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$75,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$151,000
Location Quotient:	1.73